Buckle for bathing belts



J. R. LA VIGNE 'BucKLE FOR IBATHING BELTS Filed July 1924 I R ZLNZ2TOR M w W ATT NEY Patented Jan. 27, 1925.

JEROME R. LA VIGNE, OF BUCKLE COMPANY, OF NECTICUT.

WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 WATERBURY WATERBURY,

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- BUCKLE FOR BATHING BELTS.

Application filed July 28, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEROME R. LA VIeNn, a. citizen of the United States, residing at WVaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles for Bathing Belts, of which the following is a specification.

.My intention relates to buckles intended primarily for use on bathing belts and it is my object to produce a simple, strong buckle which will not accidentally open and in which the belt web will be held without sewing and which buckle can be quickly and cheaply produced from metal stampings.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a back view of my improved buckle; Fig. 2 a sectional view of the structure of Fig. 1 on the line 22 thereof with the belt web attached; and Fig. 3 a front view of the buckle and web.

The buckle comprises two members, a hook member and a slot member. The hook member is composed of a plate 1 with opposed, perforated ears 3 and 4t projecting from its edges. A clamping piece composed of a finger piece 5 and a lever 6 is pivoted to these opposed ears 3 and 4. The slot member has a like plate 2, with perforated ears 3 and 4 and a like clamping piece composed of a finger piece 5 and a lever i pivoted in the ears.

These clamping pieces are employed to hold the ends of the belt web w to the buckle, as best shown in Fig. 2.

The hook member has a hook 7 turned over the edge opposite the finger piece and lever and a spring tongue 8 extending forwardly from the clamping piece and under the same, with its free end under the hook as best shown in Fig. 2. The plate 1, hook 7 and spring 8 are integrally formed from a sheet of stamped, sheet metal. In order that the clamping piece may be fully utilized the finger piece 5 is cut away at its middle part to clear the spring 8 when the Serial No. 728,648.

finger piece is down in position to allow the lever to grip a web end, the spring action of the tongue 8 does not commence until a point is reached beyond the bite of the clamping lever 6.

The plate of the slot member has a slot 9 adjacent the edge opposite the clan'ipii'ig piece adapted to engage the hook 7 on the plate 1, the spring 8 closing the space under the hook and preventing accidental opening of the buckle.

In use the ends of the web to are gripped between the clamping pieces and the plates to which they are attached and the slot is hooked over the hook, the spring tongue being depressed to permit this. The spring tongue then comes back into contact with the under side of the hook to prevent accidental separation of the buckle members. To open the buckle the spring tongue is depressed and the slot is disengaged from the hook.

By this construction a very flat, simple buckle is produced which will not accidentally open while the wearer is swinnning and which buckle has no projecting parts or tongues to inflict injury on the user.

I claim A belt buckle comprising a hook member composed of a plate, an integral hook at one edge thereof and an integral spring tongue at the opposite edge thereof with its free end under the hook and a clamping piece consisting of a finger piece and a lever pivotally mounted on the plate and extending transversely over the fixed end of the spring tongue and a co-operating slot member composed of a plate provided with a slot adapted to engage the hook on the first member and a clamping piece consisting of a finger piece and a lever pivotallv mounted on the plate parallel with the slot therein.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

JEROME R. LA VIGNE. 

